Wireless Device Networks With Smoke Detection Capabilities

ABSTRACT

An electronic device may include a smoke detector. The electronic device may use the smoke detector to monitor for the presence of smoke. In response to detecting smoke with the smoke detector, the electronic device may issue an alert or take other suitable action. The electronic device may transmit alerts to nearby electronic devices and to remote electronic devices such as electronic devices at emergency services facilities. Alerts may contain maps and graphical representations of buildings in which smoke has been detected. Motion detectors and other sensors and circuitry may be used in determining whether electronic devices are being used by users and may be used in determining where the electronic devices are located. Alerts may contain information on the location of detected smoke and building occupants.

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/805,222, filed Jul. 21, 2015, which claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/897,910, filed May 20, 2013, now U.S. Pat. No.9,123,221, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference herein intheir entireties. This application claims the benefit of and claimspriority to U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/805,222, filed Jul. 21,2015, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/897,910, filed May 20,2013, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,123,221.

BACKGROUND

This relates generally to electronic devices, and more particularly, tousing networked electronic devices to detect smoke associated withfires.

Fires are a serious threat to the occupants of residential andcommercial buildings. Smoke detectors are widely used to combat therisks associated with fires. Smoke detectors are generally mounted atfixed locations within a building. A building occupant who is located ina portion of a building that is remote from fixed smoke detectorlocations may be out of range of smoke detector coverage and may havedifficulty hearing audible alarms generated by the smoke detectors.Smoke detector alarms are typically limited in scope and do not includeinformation of interest to first responders and neighbors such asinformation on current building occupants.

It would therefore be desirable to be able to provide systems withimproved smoke detection and alert capabilities.

SUMMARY

An electronic device such as a cellular telephone, computer, or otherelectronic equipment may include a smoke detector. The electronic devicemay use the smoke detector to monitor for the presence of smoke. Inresponse to detecting smoke with the smoke detector, the electronicdevice may issue an alert or take other suitable action. For example,the electronic device may activate fire suppression equipment, maytransmit a text or email message, may transmit alerts to otherelectronic devices, may generate audible alerts, etc.

Using wired and wireless communications circuitry, the electronic devicemay transmit alerts to nearby electronic devices and to remoteelectronic devices such as electronic devices at emergency servicesfacilities. Alerts may contain maps and graphical representations ofbuildings in which smoke has been detected.

Motion detectors and other sensors and circuitry may be used indetermining whether electronic devices are being used by users and maybe used in determining where the electronic devices are located. Alertsmay contain information on the location of detected smoke and buildingoccupants.

Further features of the invention, its nature and various advantageswill be more apparent from the accompanying drawings and the followingdetailed description of the preferred embodiments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a diagram of a system in which a network of electronic devicesmay be used to monitor for the presence of smoke in the surroundingenvironment and may be used to take actions such as issuing alerts orcontrolling fire suppression equipment in accordance with an embodimentof the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an illustrative light-based smoke detector of thetype that may be used in an electronic device in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an illustrative ionization smoke detector of thetype that may be used in an electronic device in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device suchas a laptop computer of the type that may be provided with a smokedetector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device suchas a handheld electronic device of the type that may be provided with asmoke detector in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device suchas a tablet computer of the type that may be provided with a smokedetector in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of illustrative electronic devices such asa display and associated electronic equipment of the type that may beprovided with a smoke detector in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an illustrative wearable electronicdevice of the type that may be provided with a smoke detector inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an illustrative electronic device havingports such as a speaker port in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of an illustrative electronicdevice of the type shown in FIG. 9 showing how a smoke detector may bemounted within a housing of the electronic device adjacent to a speakergrill in a speaker port in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 11 is a schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic device inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 12 is a system diagram of a network of electronic devices withsmoke detection capabilities and alert generation capabilities inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 shows an illustrative alert of the type that may be presented onan electronic device to alert emergency services personnel of thelocation and nature of an emergency in which smoke has been detected inaccordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 14 shows an illustrative alert of the type that may be presented onan electronic device to alert a homeowner or others about an emergencyin which smoke has been detected in accordance with an embodiment of thepresent invention.

FIG. 15 shows an illustrative visual alert of the type that may bepresented on an electronic device to visually inform a homeowner orothers about the nature of an emergency in which smoke has been detectedand the location of known occupants of the home relative to the locationof detected smoke in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 16 shows an illustrative visual alert of the type that may bepresented on an electronic device to visually inform a building occupantsuch as an apartment dweller or others about the nature of an emergencyin which smoke has been detected and the location of known occupants ofthe building relative to the location of detected smoke and the alertedbuilding occupant in accordance with an embodiment of the presentinvention.

FIG. 17 shows an illustrative map-based alert of the type that may bepresented on electronic devices to visually alert neighbors and othermembers of the public in the vicinity of a home in which smoke has beendetected in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in usingelectronic devices in a network of electronic devices to monitor for thepresence of smoke and in using the electronic devices to issue alerts ortake other actions in response to detected smoke in accordance with anembodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Electronic devices may be provided with smoke detectors that allow theelectronic devices to monitor a building or other structure for thepresence of smoke. If smoke is detected, there is a risk that thebuilding is on fire. Accordingly, the user of an electronic device thatdetects smoke, emergency services personnel, building occupants,neighbors, and others may be notified in response to detection of smoke.Sprinkler systems and other fire suppression equipment may also beactivated in response to the detection of smoke. The electronic devicesmay be used in sending alerts, issuing commands to fire suppressionequipment, and taking other actions.

An illustrative system such as system 100 of FIG. 1 may be used inmonitoring for smoke and taking action in response to the detection ofsmoke. As shown in FIG. 1, system 100 may contain multiple electronicdevices 10. Electronic devices 10 may be coupled by a communicationsnetwork including communications paths 118 to form a network of two ormore electronic devices. Communications paths 118 may include wiredpaths (e.g., paths that pass through the internet, paths that passthrough local area network equipment, and paths that pass through othernetworks) and may include wireless paths (e.g., cellular telephonenetwork paths, wireless local area network paths, etc.).

Electronic devices 10 may run on battery power and/or line power from awall outlet. As shown in FIG. 1, for example, electronic device 10′ maybe powered by battery 110. Electronic device 10″ may be powered by wallpower received over power cable 112 from wall outlet 114. If desired,electronic devices 10 (e.g., devices 10, 10′, 10″, and 10′″ of FIG. 1)may contain both batteries and power regulator circuitry for receivingalternating current (AC) power from a wall outlet or other source of ACpower.

Electronic devices 10 may include portable electronic devices andstationary electronic devices. Devices 10 may be located insidebuildings such as building 102 and may be located outside buildings suchas building 102 (see, e.g., external electronic device 10′″).

Building 102 may have one or more stories, two or more stories, or tenor more stories (as examples). In the example of FIG. 1, building 102has lower floor 106 and upper floor 104. This is merely illustrative.Buildings such as building 102 of FIG. 1 may have any suitable number offloors.

As shown in FIG. 1, buildings such as building 102 may include firesuppression equipment 116. Fire suppression equipment 116 may includesprinkler systems, chemical fire suppressor dispensing systems, andother fire suppression systems. The fire suppression equipment may beactivated by wired-path or wireless control signals that are supplied byone or more of electronic devices 10.

Building 102 may contain multiple rooms 108. There may be any suitablenumber of devices 10 in each room 108 (e.g., no devices, one device,multiple devices, etc.). There may also be any suitable number ofdevices 10 outside of building 102 (e.g., no devices, one device such asdevice 10′″, multiple devices, etc.).

Fires such as fire 120 may be started by accident within building 102,producing smoke 122. One or more of electronic devices 10 may containsmoke detector equipment to monitor for the presence of smoke 122. Inresponse to detection of smoke 122 by the smoke detector in one ofdevices 10, that device 10 may issue alerts using the hardware of thatdevice, may issue alerts by broadcasting or otherwise communicatingalerts using other devices 10 in the network of system 100, may issuecontrol commands to fire suppression equipment 116 that directs firesuppression equipment 116 to emit water or other fire suppressionsubstances, or may take other suitable actions to help protect theoccupants of building 102 and others.

FIG. 2 is a diagram of an illustrative light-based smoke detector of thetype that may be used in electronic devices 10. As shown in FIG. 2,smoke detector 124 may include a light source such as light source 126and a light detector such as light detector 128. Baffle structure 130may be used to block light 132 that is emitted from light source 126, sothat light 132 does not directly reach light detector 128. Bafflestructures 130 may have an opening such as opening 134 that allowsparticles of smoke 122 to enter the interior of baffle structures 130 inalignment with the output of light source 126. During operation, lightsource 126 emits light 132. In the absence of smoke 122, light 132 willexit opening 134 and will not be detected by light detector 128. In thepresence of smoke 122, light 132 will be illuminate smoke particles 122.Light 132 that is deflected by the illuminated smoke particles 122 maypass through the interior of baffle structures 130 to light detector128. The output of light detector 128 on path 136 will be proportionalto the amount of smoke 122 that is present. When little or no smoke 122is present in baffle 130, light detector 128 may produce a signal onoutput 136 indicating that smoke 122 (and therefore fire) are absentfrom building 102. When smoke 122 is present, light 132 of more than athreshold amount will be reflected into light detector 128. In response,light detector 128 may generate an output signal on output 136 thatindicates that smoke 122 (and potentially fire 120) have been detected.

FIG. 3 is a diagram of an illustrative ionizing smoke detector. Smokedetector 124 of FIG. 3 has a radiation source such as radiation source138 that emits ionizing radiation 140. Radiation 140 ionizes airmolecules 142 between electrodes 144. Control circuitry 146 applies avoltage across electrodes 144. In the presence of ionized air moleculesand in the absence of smoke 122, a current will flow between electrodes144 and will be measured by control circuitry 146. When smoke 122 ispresent, the ionized air molecules are neutralized by smoke 122 so thatthe amount of current flow between electrodes 144 is significantlyreduced. Control circuitry 146 can produce an output signal on path 148that is indicative of the presence or absence of smoke (as an example).

If desired, other types of smoke detector such as pyroelectricdetectors, infrared light detectors, image-sensor (camera) baseddetectors, and other smoke detector structures may be used inimplementing smoke detectors 124. The configurations of FIGS. 2 and 3are merely illustrative.

Electronic devices 10 of the type shown in FIGS. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9and other electronic devices 10 may be provided with smoke detectors 124and/or circuitry for issuing alerts to a user and/or taking othersuitable action (e.g., issuing wired or wireless fire suppressionequipment control commands for equipment 116 of FIG. 1 that directequipment 116 to suppress fire 120). An electronic device that detectssmoke may present a local alert to the user of that electronic deviceand may transmit alerts to one or more remote electronic devices. Alertsmay include visual information, audio information, etc.

Electronic device 10 of FIG. 4 has the shape of a laptop computer andhas upper housing 12A and lower housing 12B with components such askeyboard 16 and touchpad 18. Device 10 has hinge structures 20 to allowupper housing 12A to rotate in directions 22 about rotational axis 24relative to lower housing 12B. Display 14 is mounted in upper housing12A. Upper housing 12A, which may sometimes referred to as a displayhousing or lid, is placed in a closed position by rotating upper housing12A towards lower housing 12B about rotational axis 24. Smoke detector124 may be mounted in a port that is located along the right hand edgeof housing 12B (e.g., a connector port or other port) or may be locatedelsewhere in housing 12A or housing 12B.

FIG. 5 shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device 10based on a handheld device such as a cellular telephone, music player,gaming device, navigation unit, or other compact device. In this type ofconfiguration for device 10, housing 12 has opposing front and rearsurfaces. Display 14 is mounted on a front face of housing 12. Display14 may have an exterior layer that includes openings for components suchas button 26 and speaker port 27. Smoke detector 124 may be located inspeaker port 27 or elsewhere in device housing 12.

In the example of FIG. 6, electronic device 10 is a tablet computer. Inelectronic device 10 of FIG. 6, housing 12 has opposing planar front andrear surfaces. Display 14 is mounted on the front surface of housing 12.As shown in FIG. 6, display 14 has an external layer with an opening toaccommodate button 26. Smoke detector 124 may be located in port 23(e.g., a connector or speaker port) or other opening in housing 12.

FIG. 7 shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device 10 inwhich device 10 includes an electronic device such as display device 10Aand/or includes additional electronic device 10B. Device 10A may be atelevision, a computer monitor, or a computer that has been integratedinto a computer display. Electronic device 10B may be a wired router, awireless router, a storage device, a set-top box, a desktop computer, orother electronic equipment. Electronic device 10B may be coupled toaccessories such as display 10A or may be used separately. As shown inFIG. 7, display 10A may have a housing 12-1 mounted on stand 270.Display 14 may be mounted on a front face of housing 12-1. Device 10Bmay have a housing such as housing 12-2. Smoke detectors such as smokedetector 124 may be mounted in ports such as port 29A of display device10A and port 29B of device 10B. Ports 29A and 29B may be connectorports, speaker ports, or other housing openings.

FIG. 8 shows an illustrative configuration for electronic device 10 inwhich device 10 is a wearable device such as a wristwatch device.Display 14 may be mounted on housing 12. Strap 13 may be coupled tohousing 12 so that housing 12 and the rest of device 10 may be attachedto the wrist or other body part of a user. Housing 12 may have openingsto accommodate buttons 26 and openings to form ports such as port 29C.Port 29C may be, for example, a speaker port or a connector port. Smokedetector 124 may be mounted in port 29C.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of an illustrative handheld electronicdevice of the type that may be provided with smoke detector 124. Device10 of FIG. 9 has a proximity sensor such as proximity sensor 202.Proximity sensor 202 may have an infrared light emitter such as aninfrared light-emitting diode and may have an infrared detector thatdetects emitted infrared light from the infrared light emitter that hasreflected from nearby objects. Camera 200 may have a lens and an imagesensor for capturing image data. Camera 200 and proximity sensor 202 andother components in devices such as electronic device 10 may be used inmonitoring the surroundings of device 10 and monitoring the usage ofdevice 10. For example, sensor data and data from other circuitry indevice 10 may be used in detecting smoke. Sensor data and other datafrom circuitry in device 10 may also be used in determining whetherdevice 10 is actively being used by a user and/or whether the user ispresent in the vicinity of device 10 (e.g., by detecting user movementrelative to device 10).

Openings may be formed in display 14 to accommodate buttons such asbutton 26 and speaker port 27. Openings may be formed in housing 12 toform connector ports such as connector port 210 and speaker andmicrophone ports 208. Smoke detector 124 may be mounted in connectorport 210, ports 208, port 27, or other openings in device 10. As anexample, smoke detector 124 may be mounted under the speaker meshassociated with speaker port 27.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional side view of device 10 of FIG. 9 takenalong path 204 and viewed in direction 206. As shown in FIG. 10, smokedetector 124 may be located under mesh 27M of speaker port 27. Device 10may contain components 5 mounted on one or more substrates such asprinted circuit 7 within the interior of housing 12. Smoke detector 124may be mounted within the interior of device 10 under port 27 (e.g., onprinted circuit 7, on a flexible printed circuit cable that is coupledto printed circuit 7, etc.). In the presence of smoke 122, smoke 122 canpass through openings within speaker mesh 27M and can be detected bysmoke detector 124.

The illustrative configurations for device 10 that are shown in FIGS. 4,5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 are merely illustrative. In general, electronicdevice 10 may be a laptop computer, a computer monitor containing anembedded computer, a tablet computer, a cellular telephone, a mediaplayer, or other handheld or portable electronic device, a smallerdevice such as a wrist-watch device, a pendant device, a headphone orearpiece device, or other wearable or miniature device, a television, acomputer display that does not contain an embedded computer, a gamingdevice, a navigation device, a storage device, a router, an embeddedsystem such as a system in which electronic equipment with a display ismounted in a kiosk or automobile, equipment that implements thefunctionality of two or more of these devices, or other electronicequipment.

Housing 12 of device 10, which is sometimes referred to as a case, isformed of materials such as plastic, glass, ceramics, carbon-fibercomposites and other fiber-based composites, metal (e.g., machinedaluminum, stainless steel, or other metals), other materials, or acombination of these materials. Device 10 may be formed using a unibodyconstruction in which most or all of housing 12 is formed from a singlestructural element (e.g., a piece of machined metal or a piece of moldedplastic) or may be formed from multiple housing structures (e.g., outerhousing structures that have been mounted to internal frame elements orother internal housing structures).

Display 14 may be a touch sensitive display that includes a touch sensoror may be insensitive to touch. Touch sensors for display 14 may beformed from an array of capacitive touch sensor electrodes, a resistivetouch array, touch sensor structures based on acoustic touch, opticaltouch, or force-based touch technologies, or other suitable touch sensorcomponents.

A schematic diagram of an illustrative configuration that may be usedfor electronic devices 10 of system 100 is shown in FIG. 11. As shown inFIG. 11, electronic device 10 may include control circuitry such asstorage and processing circuitry 28. Storage and processing circuitry 28may include storage such as hard disk drive storage, nonvolatile memory(e.g., flash memory or other electrically-programmable-read-only memoryconfigured to form a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., staticor dynamic random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in storageand processing circuitry 28 may be used to control the operation ofdevice 10. The processing circuitry may be based on one or moremicroprocessors, microcontrollers, digital signal processors, basebandprocessors, power management units, audio codec chips, applicationspecific integrated circuits, etc.

Storage and processing circuitry 28 may be used to run software ondevice 10, such as internet browsing applications,voice-over-internet-protocol (VOIP) telephone call applications, emailapplications, media playback applications, operating system functions,etc. To support interactions with external equipment, storage andprocessing circuitry 28 may be used in implementing communicationsprotocols. Communications protocols that may be implemented usingstorage and processing circuitry 28 include internet protocols, wirelesslocal area network protocols (e.g., IEEE 802.11 protocols—sometimesreferred to as WiFi®), protocols for other short-range wirelesscommunications links such as the Bluetooth® protocol, cellular telephoneprotocols, etc.

Circuitry 28 may use components such as smoke detector 124 to detect thepresence of smoke 122. In response to detection of smoke 122, controlcircuitry 28 may send an alert message (e.g., a text message, emailmessage, social network message, web-based message, or other message) ormay otherwise cause an alert to be presented to remote alert recipients,may issue local alerts (e.g., to the user of a device that detectssmoke), may issue other alerts, may issue control commands wirelessly orover a wired path that direct fire suppression equipment 116 toextinguish a fire, or may take other suitable actions.

Input-output circuitry 30 may be used to allow data to be supplied todevice 10 and to allow data to be provided from device 10 to externaldevices. Input-output circuitry 30 may include input-output devices 32such as button 26, touch screens, joysticks, click wheels, scrollingwheels, touch pads, key pads, keyboards, light-emitting diodes and otherstatus indicators, data ports, etc. Input-output devices 32 in circuitry30 may include display 14, vibrator 42, speakers such as speaker 46,light-emitting components such as camera flash 44 (sometimes referred toas a strobe or light-emitting diode), a microphone and other audiocomponents, and other input-output devices. Input-output devices 32 mayalso include sensors 48. Sensors 48 may include a microphone, an ambientlight sensor, proximity sensor 202, an accelerometer, compass, gyroscopeor other component(s) that serves as motion sensor 50, camera 200 orother image sensor device for capturing image data, and smoke detector124.

During operation, a user can control the operation of device 10 bysupplying commands through input-output devices 32 and may receivestatus information and other output from device 10 using the outputresources of input-output devices 32 (e.g., visual information ondisplay 14, vibrations from vibrator 42, sound from speaker 46, flashesof light from flash 44, etc.). This output may be used in alerting auser about the detection of smoke 122 by the user's device or thedevices of other users and may alert the user to the possibility of afire such as fire 120.

Wireless communications circuitry 34 may include radio-frequency (RF)transceiver circuitry formed from one or more integrated circuits, poweramplifier circuitry, low-noise input amplifiers, passive RF components,one or more antennas, filters, duplexers, and other circuitry forhandling RF wireless signals. Wireless signals can also be sent usinglight (e.g., using infrared communications).

Wireless communications circuitry 34 may include satellite navigationsystem receiver circuitry such as Global Positioning System (GPS)receiver circuitry 35 (e.g., for receiving satellite positioning signalsat 1575 MHz) or satellite navigation system receiver circuitryassociated with other satellite navigation systems. Wireless local areanetwork transceiver circuitry such as transceiver circuitry 36 mayhandle 2.4 GHz and 5 GHz bands for WiFi® (IEEE 802.11) communicationsand may handle the 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® communications band. Circuitry 34may use cellular telephone transceiver circuitry 38 for handlingwireless communications in cellular telephone bands such as bands infrequency ranges of about 700 MHz to about 2700 MHz or bands at higheror lower frequencies. Wireless communications circuitry 34 can includecircuitry for other short-range and long-range wireless links ifdesired. For example, wireless communications circuitry 34 may includewireless circuitry for receiving radio and television signals, pagingcircuits, etc. Near field communications may also be supported (e.g., at13.56 MHz). In WiFi® and Bluetooth® links and other short-range wirelesslinks, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over tens orhundreds of feet. In cellular telephone links and other long-rangelinks, wireless signals are typically used to convey data over thousandsof feet or miles.

Wireless communications circuitry 34 may have antenna structures such asone or more antennas 40. Antenna structures 40 may be formed using anysuitable antenna types (e.g., inverted-F antennas, etc.).

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing how electronic devices 10 may be used aspart of a communications network. Electronic devices 10 may be locatedin buildings such as a residential building or a commercial building(e.g., a user's home such as a single family house, a multi-dwellingbuilding such as an apartment building, etc.) or may be located outsideof buildings (e.g., when a user of a portable electronic device istraveling on a public street or is otherwise located outside of abuilding with the electronic device). Electronic devices 10 may also belocated in firehouses, police stations, the business establishments ofsecurity service vendors, or other emergency services structures.

As shown in FIG. 12, electronic devices 10 in buildings such as home 102may be coupled to other electronic devices 10 in the network of FIG. 12through communications network paths such as communications paths 118and other communications paths in communications network 212. Network212 may include local area networks, wide area networks, etc. Electronicdevices 10 in apartment building 102 may be coupled to other electronicdevices 10 in the network of FIG. 12 through communications networkpaths such as communications paths 118 and other communications paths incommunications network 212. Electronic devices 10 at emergency servicesfacility 216 may likewise be coupled to other electronic devices 10 inthe network of FIG. 12 through communications network paths such ascommunications paths 118 and other communications paths incommunications network 212. If users of electronic devices 10 such aswearable electronic devices, handheld electronic devices, and otherportable electronic devices carry those electronic devices 10 into thefield outside of any building, those electronic devices may be coupledto other electronic devices 10 in the network of FIG. 12 throughcommunications network paths such as communications paths 118 (e.g.,wireless links) and other communications paths in communications network212.

Communications network 212 and its communications paths such ascommunications paths 118 may include wired and/or wirelesscommunications paths (e.g., Ethernet links, wireless local area networkpaths such as wireless links in an IEEE 802.11 wireless local areanetwork, cellular telephone wireless paths with wireless base stationequipment such as cellular base stations 214, and other wired andwireless paths). Those electronic devices 10 that include smoke detectorcircuitry 124 may monitor their surroundings for the presence of smoke.

Electronic devices 10 may use information from sensors and othercomponents to determine whether or not a user of an electronic device ispresent in the vicinity of an electronic device. For example, if amotion sensor detects motion of a device, it can be concluded that thedevice is being carried or otherwise handled by a user. As anotherexample, if touch commands and button presses are being supplied to anelectronic device, or if the electronic device is being used to conducta telephone call or handle other user activity, it may be concluded thatthe user is present in the vicinity of an electronic device. Camera dataand proximity sensor data may also be used to determine of a user ispresent in the vicinity of a device. Information from a satellitenavigation system receiver and/or information from surrounding wirelesslocal area networks may be used in determining the current location ofthe user's device. Information on the identity of the user of eachdevice may be determined by ascertaining the owner of each device and/orthe name of the user of a device who has actively logged into thatdevice.

When smoke is detected by a smoke detector in a device 10, suitableaction may be taken. For example, emergency services personnel atemergency services 216 may be notified, users of electronic equipmentsuch as devices 10 may be presented with alerts, fire suppressionequipment in the vicinity of the detected smoke may be activated, andother suitable action may be taken.

Alerts may be presented using output from input-output devices 32 ofdevices 10. As an example, alerts may be presented in the form of anaudible tone, a vibration, a voice recording, a synthesizedtext-to-voice message, a visible output such as light from alight-emitting diode or a flashing camera strobe or other light source,a visible output such as images on a display (e.g., text, graphics,video, interactive prompts, etc.), or other suitable types of alerts.The content of an alert may inform the recipient of the alert about thenature of the detected smoke incident (e.g., incident location, theidentity of nearby people, etc.), whether emergency services personnelhave been notified, etc.

FIG. 13 is a diagram of an illustrative alert of the type that may beprovided to emergency services personnel (as an example). Alert 218 maybe presented on an electronic device 10 at emergency services facility216 (FIG. 12) in response to detection of smoke using the smoke detectorof one of the electronic devices 10 at home 102 (FIG. 12). The devicethat detects the smoke may transmit alert 218 to devices 10 at emergencyservices facility 216 and other alert recipients using wired and/orwireless paths. As shown in FIG. 13, alert 218 may include informationsuch as information 220 that informs the recipient of alert 218 thatsmoke has been detected in the vicinity of a device 10 with a smokedetector 124. Alert 218 may also contain information 222 such as astreet address or other address information that identifies the locationof the detected smoke. Information such as information 224 may specifywhether there are any known occupants of the building containing thedevice that detected the smoke. For example, if an electronic devicethat is owned by a homeowner detects smoke at the home of the homeownerand if that electronic device (or other networked electronic devicewithin the home) is being actively used within the home (indicating thepresence of at least one home occupant) or detects a nearby occupantusing a camera, proximity sensor, or other sensor, information 224 mayspecify that there is at least one known occupant of the home. Whenemergency services personnel respond to alert 218, they can attempt tolocate and assist that home occupant.

Information on the status of home occupants can be gathered by eachdevice 10 that is located within the home, may be gathered by one ofdevices 10 that serves as a coordinator device and that is coupled toother devices 10 via communications network 212, or may be gathered byother equipment. Information that may be used to determine whether auser of a device is currently present within a home includes informationon the location of each device 10 (e.g., information gathered usingsatellite navigation signals, information on the known location of eachdevice as supplied by users when setting up the devices and/or servicessuch as home networking and smoke monitoring services) and informationon whether devices that are known to be in the home are actively beingused by a user (e.g., motion sensor data indicating that a wearabledevice is being worn and moved by a user, camera sensor data, proximitysensor data, ambient light sensor data, or other data indicating that auser is moving device 10 and/or is moving in the vicinity of device 10).

Alerts may be issued to people other than emergency services personnel.For example, alerts may be provided to the user of a device that hasdetected smoke, users of nearby devices, users of other devices that arelocated in the same building in which the device that has detected thesmoke is located, users of devices that are within a given distance ofthe building in which the smoke was detected, homeowners, families ofhomeowners, friends and relatives of the homeowner, and other partieswho are associated with the homeowner who are interested in learningabout the detected smoke. Alert recipients such as occupants of thebuilding in which the smoke was detected will benefit by receiving awarning about the presence of smoke that allows them to safely leave thebuilding. Homeowners and other interested parties who are not present inthe immediate vicinity of the home or other building in which the smokewas detected can benefit from being alerted that the home or otherbuilding is potentially not safe and should be avoided until thesituation has been resolved.

FIG. 14 is a diagram of an illustrative alert of the type that may beprovided to users of devices 10 such as users of devices 10 in thebuilding in which the smoke has been detected (e.g., occupants invarious different rooms of a house and/or occupants of apartments withinan apartment building) or that may be provided to users outside of thebuilding in which the smoke has been detected (e.g., nearby users suchas users in adjacent homes and/or distant users such as the homeownerand other residents of the home that are not currently present withinthe home). As shown in FIG. 14, alert 236 may include information 226that informs recipients of alert 236 of the location at which smoke hasbeen detected by a smoke detector in one of devices 10. Alert 236 mayalso include information such as information 228 that informs recipientsof the alert of whether or not the fire department, police department,or other emergency services providers have been contacted. Information228 may help prevent situations in which numerous duplicative reportsare made of a fire, thereby reducing the burden on emergency services.

Alerts such as alert 236 may include interactive prompts. Theinteractive prompts may be selected by a user (e.g., by clicking on theprompt using a mouse and cursor, by touching the prompt in a touchscreen environment, by issuing an appropriate voice command in a voicecontrol input-output environment, etc.). In the example of FIG. 14,interactive prompt 230 contains a label such as “call fire departmentnow”. If the recipient of alert 236 needs to contact the fire department(e.g., to discuss the nature of the detected smoke and to provideupdates on the situation), the recipient can select the interactiveprompt. In response to selection of interactive prompt 230, the device10 that is displaying prompt 230 can place a telephone call to the firedepartment or other emergency services.

Alert 236 may, if desired, include information 232 about peopleassociated with the building in which the smoke was detected (e.g., thename and contact information of the homeowner, the name and contactinformation of the residents of the home or other building, the name andcontact information of a property manager or other designated contactperson, etc.). One or more associated interactive prompts may also beprovided. For example, alert 236 may contain an interactive prompt suchas interactive prompt 234 that provides an opportunity for a recipientof alert 236 to contact an appropriate contact person such as thehomeowner of the home or other building in which the smoke has beendetected (as an example).

Alerts can contain graphics, video, moving image content, text,photographic images, graphic (visual) representations of buildings, andother visual content. In the illustrative configuration of FIG. 15,alert 238 contains a graphic representation of the home in which thesmoke has been detected (i.e., graphic home representation 240). Homerepresentation 240 may include rooms such as rooms 108 and room namelabels such as room name labels 244. Home representation 240 may alsoinclude information on the location at which the smoke has been detectedby one of devices 10.

In the example of FIG. 15, information 242 is being presented to informthe recipient of alert 240 of the location where smoke has beendetected. Smoke location information 242 may be visually presented ongraphic home representation 240 in a location that represents thelocation of the room that contains smoke (i.e., in the upper left room108 of FIG. 15) and/or may contain text or other information that labelsthe location of the detected smoke (e.g., “master bedroom”).

The user's current location 248 may be displayed in alert 238 (e.g.,using a “current location” label that is located at the position withingraphic representation 240 that corresponds to the alert recipient'scurrent location). Labels such as occupant location labels 246 may alsobe provided to identify the locations of other occupants of thebuilding. Labels 246 may indicate the location of the occupants visuallyby virtue of the position of each label 246 on graphic homerepresentation 240 and/or with text. If desired, labels such as labels246 may contain information on the name of the building occupants, asshown in the FIG. 15 example.

In the illustrative configuration of FIG. 16, alert 250 contains agraphic representation of an apartment building in which the smoke hasbeen detected (i.e., graphic building representation 262). Graphicbuilding representation 262 may include a visual representation of roomssuch as rooms 108 (e.g., apartments). Labels such as label 252 mayindicate visually and with text that smoke has been detected and wherethe detected smoke is located. Labels such as label 254 may provide theapartment number of the apartment in which the smoke has been detected.Apartment number (apartment unit) label 258 and label 256 may be used tographically and textually identify the location of the recipient ofalert 250 within the apartment building. Using this information, therecipient can determine whether the detected smoke is near to therecipient's current location and can take appropriate action (e.g., byleaving the building). Interactive prompts such as selectable onscreenoption 260 may be provided in alert 250. Option 260 and otherinteractive prompts may be selected when an alert recipient desires moreinformation on the detected smoke. In the example of FIG. 16, option 260provides an alert recipient with an opportunity to be taken to a websiteassociated with the apartment building that is visually represented bygraphic building representation 262. In general, interactive prompts maybe used to provide the alert recipient with additional information onthe smoke detection event from any suitable party (e.g., a web serverassociated with an emergency services organization, etc.).

In the example of FIG. 17, an alert recipient at a device 10 has beenprovided with visual alert 264. Alert 264 may contain a map such as map266 or other graphic information that visually indicates the geographiclocation of the detected smoke relative to the alert recipient's currentlocation and other points of interest. Map 266 may include graphicdepictions of buildings such as buildings 280, streets such as streets268, and other geographic (map) points of interest. In the FIG. 17example, map 266 includes information on the location at which the smokehas been detected by one of devices 10 such as “smoke detected” label278. Text 274 in label 278 may be used to inform the alert recipientthat smoke has been detected. Label 278 may be placed on map 266 at alocation that represents the geographic location of the detected smoke.Address information 276 may also be provided in alert 264 to indicatewhere the smoke has been detected.

The alert recipient's current location (building 272 in the FIG. 17example) may be highlighted using a current location label such as label270. Information such as information 282 on the status of emergencyservices alerts (i.e., whether alerts have or have not been provided tothe fire department or other emergency services) may be provided inalert 264. Alert 264 may also contain selectable on-screen options suchas interactive prompt 284. A recipient of alert 264 (i.e., the user ofthe electronic device on which alert 264 is being displayed) may selectoption 284 to view the web site of the fire department or otheremergency services online information (e.g., to obtain supplementalinformation on the detected smoke event).

FIG. 18 is a flow chart of illustrative steps involved in usingelectronic devices 10 to detect smoke and to take appropriate action inresponse to the detected smoke. At step 286, one or more electronicdevices 10 may be used in monitoring for the presence of smoke and indetermining what action should be taken in response to detecting smoke.

Smoke may be detected by devices 10 during step 286 using smokedetectors 124. In the event that smoke is not detected, devices 10 maycontinue to monitor for the presence of smoke, as shown by line 288.

During the operations of step 286, electronic devices 10 may gathersensor data and information from input-output devices and othercircuitry in device 10 (e.g., control circuitry 28) to determine whichelectronic devices are being used. Examples of data that may be gatheredto determine whether or not a device is being used include motion sensordata (e.g., to determine whether or not the motion of an electronicdevice is sufficient to indicate that the electronic device is beingcarried by a user), information from the touch sensor in the touch pador touch screen of device 10, information from a keyboard, buttons, orother mechanically actuated structures that are used by a user,temperature sensor data to indicate the presence of a user body part,camera sensor data to visually detect movement of the user near thedevice, infrared temperature sensor data that indicates whether or not auser is nearby and emitting heat, a proximity sensor to detect whetheror not a user's hand or other body part is near to the device, data froma satellite navigation system indicating whether the device is beingmoved, information from sensors (e.g., motion sensors) such as agyroscope or compass to detect device movement, etc. Information onwhether users are present and operating devices 10 may be used inidentifying occupants of a building.

Devices 10 may also gather information on the identity of any users thatare present. For example, devices 10 may determine the usernames ofusers who have logged into devices 10, may determine the names of theowners of each device 10, etc. User identity information may be used inlabeling the content in alerts. Location information for each device 10may be gathered using satellite navigation system receiver 35,information from wireless local area network base stations, etc.

In response to detecting smoke with one of devices 10, the detectingdevice 10 may be used in taking suitable action at step 290. The device10 that detects the smoke may, for example, use wireless communicationscircuitry 34 or wired communications circuitry to transmit alertinformation, commands, or other data to external electronic equipmentsuch as other devices 10. Device 10 may, for example, issue commandsthat direct fire suppression equipment 116 to suppress fire (step 294).As shown by step 292, the device 10 that detects the smoke (sometimesreferred to as the transmitting device) may also send text messages,send email messages, send visible and/or audio alerts to other devices10 such as devices associated with other occupants of the building inwhich the smoke was detected, the homeowner and others who may not bepresent in the home, but who are interested parties, neighbors,emergency services personnel, and other device users. Alerts may bepresented in the form of audio played back on receiving devices 10, inthe form of vibrations, in the form of alerts presented visually ondisplays 14 in devices 10, or other suitable formats.

The foregoing is merely illustrative of the principles of this inventionand various modifications can be made by those skilled in the artwithout departing from the scope and spirit of the invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A cellular telephone, comprising: a housing; adisplay within the housing; a port; and a detector, wherein the detectoris configured to monitor for particles through the port.
 2. The cellulartelephone defined in claim 1, further comprising: control circuitry,wherein the detector is coupled to the control circuitry.
 3. Thecellular telephone defined in claim 1, wherein the detector is mountedin the port.
 4. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, wherein thedisplay comprises a touch screen display.
 5. The cellular telephonedefined in claim 1, wherein the detector comprises a light source and alight detector.
 6. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, whereinthe detector comprises an ionizing detector.
 7. The cellular telephonedefined in claim 1, further comprising: communications circuitryconfigured to transmit data to external equipment in response todetecting particles with the detector.
 8. The cellular telephone definedin claim 7, wherein the communications circuitry comprises wirelesscommunications circuitry.
 9. The cellular telephone defined in claim 7,further comprising satellite navigation system receiver circuitryconfigured to receive signals to determine the location of the cellulartelephone.
 10. The cellular telephone defined in claim 1, furthercomprising a motion sensor and a proximity sensor.
 11. A cellulartelephone, comprising: a housing; a display within the housing; anopening; and a detector, wherein the detector is configured to monitorfor particles through the opening.
 12. The cellular telephone defined inclaim 11, further comprising mesh, wherein the opening is covered withthe mesh.
 13. The cellular telephone defined in claim 12, wherein thedetector is configured to monitor for particles through the mesh. 14.The cellular telephone defined in claim 12, wherein the detector islocated under the mesh.
 15. A tablet computer, comprising: a housing; adisplay within the housing; a port; and a detector, wherein the detectoris configured to monitor for particles through the port.
 16. The tabletcomputer defined in claim 15, further comprising: control circuitry,wherein the detector is coupled to the control circuitry.
 17. The tabletcomputer defined in claim 15, wherein the detector is mounted in theport.
 18. The tablet computer defined in claim 15, wherein the displaycomprises a touch screen display.
 19. The tablet computer defined inclaim 15, wherein the detector comprises a light source and a lightdetector.
 20. The tablet computer defined in claim 15, wherein thedetector comprises an ionizing detector.